What a night ! The ageing
Queen Street ground had never experienced anything quite like this.
2700 supporters packed inside the rain-soaked arena, Premiership
standard floodlights, television cameras covering every angle, a
European Cup Winner in the stands, Horsham players' names emblazoned on
the back of their shirts, international players in abundance
on the pitch and the thrill of a late equaliser for the home side that
shook the ground to its core all helped to make Horsham's first ever
appearance in the FA Cup second round an occasion that will live long
in the memories of Hornets fans around the world.

Good luck messages had
been coming in all week from exiled Horsham supporters in such far
flung places as Australia, the USA, Canada and New Zealand and, with
further emails received from the likes of the Turks and Caicos
Islands, the Ukraine and New Mexico, one could be excused for shaking
their head in disbelief at this latest chapter in the club's long
history. Despite the 100 places that separated these two sides, the
match was seen as having the potential to provide a famous
giant-killing by John Maggs' side and Sky TV sent their huge entourage
of lorries, cables and commentary team of former Nottingham Forest
hero Garry Birtles and Alan Parry to capture the events while, in the opposite stand, Steve
Claridge sat alongside the BBC's Mark Pugatch to add a feeling of
surrealism to the whole affair.

How appropriate it was
that, in its final season as a footballing venue, Queen Street was to
host the biggest match in Horsham Football Club's 126 year history.
Yet, for so long, it looked as if the weather would ruin the day with
rain teeming down hours before kick-off and continuing throughout the
course of the match, only relenting half an hour or so after the final
whistle. That the game was to be screened to a global audience was
clearly a contributory factor in the match being given the go-ahead
although, had it not been for a huge tarpaulin-style covering on the
pitch during the day, it is unlikely that referee Kevin Friend would
have given his consent.

The visitors arrived
having taken over the leadership of League One during the week, thanks
to a 1-0 win against Hartlepool United, and boasted an impressive away
record of seven wins in ten matches this season. For the Horsham
faithful, Northern Ireland international Warren Feeney was the most
recognisable name among the Swansea line-up and was making his second
trip to Horsham in three months after being a part of Nigel
Worthington's squad who trained on the pitch prior to their European
Championship travels in September. Feeney is currently on loan from
Championship side Cardiff City and, in Andrea Orlandi, has a team-mate
who has spent the last two seasons at Barcelona for whom he made four
first team appearances. Swansea's Spanish born manager, Roberto
Martinez, has a trio of fellow nationals in his squad with former
Spanish youth international Guillen Bauza looking to add to the two
goals he scored to knock out Horsham's League rivals Billericay Town
in the previous round.

Goalkeeping issues had
been a concern for both managers ahead of the match with the suspended
Alan Mansfield's deputy, Paul Seuke, having spent part of the week in
bed with a virus and the Swans' Dorus de Vries and David Knight both
struggling with injury. Maggs was also given a scare when Lee Carney
went down with 'flu like symptoms the day before the game but both he,
Seuke and De Vries were cleared to play. Martinez had been quoted as
claiming that the occasion would make Horsham the favourites to win
the tie but that didn't stop him from making eight changes to the side
that beat Hartlepool United, albeit with injury stripping him of the
services of Dutch under 23 midfielder Ferrie Bodde and 19 year old
Paul Anderson.

The troublesome pitch
covering left the expectant crowd waiting a further 15 minutes before
play could get underway but it only heightened the fervour and, as the
players entered the arena, the ground erupted into a crescendo of noise.
It took the visitors just sixty seconds to create the first chance, Orlandi
breaking through the middle and setting up Angel Rangel whose
pass to Kristian O'Leary was laid in to the path of Feeney but his
right foot shot was pushed round his near post by Seuke. There was
excitement at the other end when a long throw from Stuart Myall
bounced dangerously in front of Carl Rook and Simon Austin but De
Vries was able to grab the ball before either player could apply a
telling touch. Seuke's poor clearance put his side under pressure and
Jacob Mingle's foul on Butler presented the Swans with a promising
free-kick position. Feeney strode up to pick his spot, just inside the
right-hand upright, but Seuke was equal to it, diving full length to
palm the ball away to safety. The incident, though, saw both players
punished; Feeney with a yellow card for taking the kick too early and,
more worryingly, Seuke collided with his post, hitting his head.
Tellingly the
'keeper was able to continue after lengthy treatment and the retaken
free-kick came to nought. Seuke was to go on to enjoy the game of his
life !

Swansea were enjoying the
better possession during the early stages but every tackle and forward pass by the home team was greeted with encouraging cheers,
although Rook's enthusiasm earned him a word of warning from Mr
Friend. A corner by Orlandi saw Seuke hold on to Alan Tate's header
but a slip from the Spaniard enabled Horsham to engineer an attack
that saw Austin test De Vries' handling in the slippery conditions,
the Dutch under 21 international comfortably holding on to the dipping
shot and an intended pass from Austin gathered too much pace ahead of
Carney inside the box. A great tackle by Rook sent Brake scampering
away down the left only for his run to be crudely ended by Angel's
challenge but Carney uncharacteristically wasted the resulting
free-kick and a deep cross from Myall was headed behind by Gary
Charman at the far post as Horsham continued to compete well in the
difficult conditions.

Although the players were
managing to retain their balance on the muddy surface, conditions
favoured the sliding challenge and Hemsley's mistimed lunge presented
Swansea with a further opportunity to score but Butler's strike was
pushed away by Seuke and Feeney fired the rebound wide. A tremendous
surging run by Lewis Taylor down the left flank opened up the Swans'
defence but Austin let the ball run away from him, from a promising
position, to the disappointment of the home fans who showed their
disapproval when Bauza's stray boot caught Tom Graves in the face. De
Vries showed his athleticism when he raced from his line to head clear
a dangerous through ball from Carney and another strong run down the
left by Butler saw the ball fly across the face of Seuke's goal. Tate
sent a header just over the top from an Orlandi corner as this blood
and thunder cup tie continued apace. A misplaced pass from Mingle gave
Butler the chance to play Bauza in but he blazed high and wide before
a fine move by the Hornets brought the fans to their feet when
Charman's excellent run and pass picked out Taylor in space and the
midfielder's low drive was well held by the diving De Vries as the
noise levels were cranked up another notch.

The deadlock was broken,
three minutes later, when the impressive Orlandi found Feeney on the
edge of the penalty area and his fine turn and cross was clinically
despatched by
Bauza
at the near post to give the Swans a lead that, although harsh on the
Hornets, the visitors probably deserved and was fair reward for the
200 or so fans who had suffered a torturous 6 hour journey from South
Wales. The home supporters, desperate for some cheer before the break,
had an optimistic shout for a penalty for handball against Swans'
skipper Gary Monk rightly turned down and, despite good work from
Charman to keep the ball alive inside the visitors' penalty area,
half-time came with just Bauza's goal separating the two sides.

H/T Horsham 0 Swansea City
1

Horsham retook the field
with the strong wind having changed direction and now blowing directly
into their faces and a clearance by Hemsley swirled behind his
own goal to give Swansea an early corner from which Orlandi exchanged
passes with Feeney before powering in a shot that Seuke saved superbly
at his near post. Bauza controlled a cross on his chest before
creating the space to shoot but his effort was off target as Swansea
looked to put the tie to bed in the opening minutes of the half.
Charman, so often criticised for not having the appetite for the big
occasion, beat three men during an excellent run down the flank but
his ball into the box was cleared, as was a pass by Taylor, as the
hosts struggled to break down the Swansea rearguard.

The League One side should have
doubled their lead in the 55th minute but Bauza's header, from another
Orlandi corner, was brilliantly blocked by Seuke from close range to
keep the tie alive. Bauza wasted an even better opening, moments
later, when Butler's chipped pass saw the former Espanyol striker skip
away from Hemsley and round Seuke but Graves heroically spread himself
to prevent the ball from entering the unguarded net and Butler's long
range shot was, once more, turned away by Seuke who was clearly
showing no ill effects from his earlier collision. Despite the pitch cutting up badly, especially
through the middle, Horsham were gamely sticking to their passing game
and trying to use the flanks where possible but it was Butler who was
providing the inspiration for the visitors, busily making himself
available and attacking Myall at every opportunity. But, when he cut
inside the full-back, he found Seuke an unbeatable barrier, parrying
the ball to safety after an hour's play.

Horsham's failure to make
the most of any free-kicks had been a disappointing feature of their
game but, when Taylor took over the dead ball responsibilities, his
well flighted cross found the surprising figure of Myall whose
downwards header gave De Vries an uncomfortable save. With 25 minutes
remaining, Maggs played his trump card, removing the understandably
dejected Austin and sending on Lee Farrell but it was Swansea who
continued to create the better chances with Seuke getting down well to
hold a Feeney shot before the Northern Ireland international blazed
another half chance over the top. Charman tested De Vries with a low
shot from a neat lay off by Taylor to remind the visitors that this
game was far from won. Taylor's influence was increasing in the
Horsham midfield and Butler was booked for pulling his shirt while a
delicate chip over the defence from the same player just ran away from the predatory
Farrell.

Butler almost conjured up
a sensational second goal for the Swans in the 75th minute when he
collected Feeney's pass out wide on the left and cut inside and curled
a tremendous shot that finally eluded Seuke only to crash away off the
crossbar. Feeney's involvement was cut short when he was replaced by
Darryl Duffy but, before the substitute had even touched the ball,
Charman's strength had seen him barge Angel off the ball and curl a
speculative shot wide of the far post. Duffy's fresh legs soon left
Graves behind but his shot was deflected wide off of Hemsley for a
corner. A further substitution followed, Andy Robinson for Orlandi, as
Martinez tried to run down the clock but the sub was slow to react as
Taylor burst through from midfield to set up Farrell for a shot that
he dragged wide. Duffy continued to look lively up front but he could
only send a right-footed shot well wide when closed down by Graves.

Seuke's fine form
continued to deny Swansea and a superb double save, ten minutes from
time, saw Tate and Duffy frustrated and he deserved his luck when,
from the resulting corner, his misjudgement left Bauza with a
golden opening but he headed wide with the goal gaping and the hosts
were left to fight on. Swansea played the last of their substitutes,
sending on Leon Britton for Butler, but within two minutes Horsham
were handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty. A clipped
pass by Myall landed at the feet of Farrell who was held back by Tate
leaving the referee in no doubt as he immediately pointed to the spot.
There was a lengthy delay while Taylor dug out the penalty mark and De Vries was booked for his protests as his gamesmanship incensed the
home fans. Constant encroachment from his line, mud thrown at the ball
and a verbal assault were all designed to distract the penalty taker
but Taylor, who missed from 12 yards in the shoot-out against
AFC Wimbledon earlier in the competition, stayed calm and ran up to
slot the ball home before sliding off towards the corner flag where he
was joined by his overjoyed team-mates.

With the pitch now resembling a glue-pot,
neither side could put their foot on the ball but persisted with their
attacking mindset but home fans were left amazed when the fourth
official indicated a further five minutes of added on time to be
played. They needn't have worried as Horsham finished the game the
stronger, their tails clearly up following the goal, and they chased
and harried every ball making a mockery of the League One side's
supposed superior fitness. Monk's timely interception prevented Taylor
from latching on to Rook's pass and there was time for one final scare
for the hosts when the ball stuck in the mud on their own six yard
line before being hacked clear and, moments later, Mr Friend's whistle
signalled the end of a pulsating cup tie and arguably Horsham's finest
ever result. How and when the pitch recovers from the battle scars is
anyone's guess but, for now, the players, officials and supporters can
look forward to Sunday afternoon and a place in the third round draw
of World football's most famous Cup competition.